Black in Color, Not in Spirit
by BlackStarDragonEmpress
Summary: Cheesy title. duh. About two Companions that are different than the rest and their unique riders. 6ft tall, gold eyes, silver hair, and a tree for a dad. How's that for different. Yes, I am crazy.
1. Hi?

_**Chapter 1 - Hi?**__**:**_

"Whew! I'm bushed. I'm all for dropping right in bed and staying there for a week." announced Dirk, as he collapsed on to the couch.

"Of course you are." Talia, his wife, giggled as she sat down beside him.

Dirk snaked an arm around her and pulled her against him. "All for locking you in the room with me, too." Talia giggled again.

"Okay, now, settle down you two. We're here on business." Elspeth, the former heir, settled into a chair nearby. Her mother, Queen Seleny, took the seat next to her.

Talia immediately sobered. As the Queen's Own Herald, she did need to pay attention.

Herald Dane, an older gentleman, came out with tea and a smile. "Perfectly alright. They're youngin's after all. Let 'em have a bit o' fun now an' then." He served the tea, then took a seat. "Now, your Majesty, an incident as of late has arisen. Howler and I thought it should be brought to your attention."

"What is it, Dane?"

"The Yarman's have been losing chickens. The folk are all whisperin' 'bout magic being worked with the animals blood. We don't know what to say. The birds keep getting' found bled dry."

"Hmm…This doesn't sound good. We should investiagte--"

Dane lunged to his feet. "NO!" he roared.

"Dane?!" They were all shocked.

"The towns people are attacking one of the citizens." He ran out the door. The others quickly followed. Jumping onto their respective Companions, they raced into the village, Sure enough, a young girl had been surrounded by the other villagers.

Dane's Companion, Howler, forced his way though the crowd and made them move away from the girl. Dane dismounted and gently gathered her into his arms. She looked to be no more than 10. "Isis? Are you alright, little one?"

She blinked wearily, her left eye blacked. "I am fine."

Seleny stepped in then. "What is the meaning of this? Attacking a child. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I want an explination. _**Now.**_"

A large, heavyset woman stepped forward. "Isis Silvertree is no child, she is a witch and a thief."

Elspeth narrowed her eyes. "Really. And you have proof of this?"

"Six, _**six**_, of my chickens, including my best rooster, were found bled dry on her doorstep! Obviously --"

Isis snorted, cutting her off. "Obviously, I didn't do it. Why the hell would I leave them out for you to find if I had done it? Use your head Yarman."

Mrs. Yarman's face turned purple. "Why you little ~~" She took a step torwards her and Dane, by Howler taking a step forward caused her to pause. Before she could say anything else Isis continued speaking.

"You say I did it because you don't trust me. Even though I've never done anything but help you. *Sigh* In truth, I don't even want to be here, but if I left, you would have no healer. Plus you're too scared to let anyone come near me long enough for me to train them." Isis glowered at the ground. "I know who had been taking and bleeding the chickens. I've known for a while."

"You know who has been stealing my chickens?! Why haven't you said anything?!" Mrs. Yarman yelled. The gathered townspeople seconded that loudly. Isis' ferocious glare silenced them all.

"If I told you any one of you villagers had done the crime, but they contradicted me saying I did, who would you believe?" she hissed. "Are you saying you would believe me? Take my word over the word of another villager? I think not."

No one said anything. It was true and they all knew it.

"Why didn't you bring Herald Dane in then? If he had used the Truth Spell we would know." Mr. Yarman pointed out.

Isis cocked an eyebrow. "You just said that I am a witch. Even if Herald Dane did use the Truth Spell, you would have most likely deluded yourselves into believing I had fucked it up somehow. I may not interact with you much, but I understand how the human mind works better than you ever will. Oh, and before you go twisting my words around, I'm saying I know _how_ the human mind works, not _why_ it works the way it does."

"I could cast the Truth Spell at the second level if you would like." Talia offered.

Isis blinked. "I'm fine with that. You are Herald Talia, the Queen's Own, yes? Is this acceptable for you?" She asked turning to the Yarman's.

Mr. and Mrs. Yarman looked at each other. "It sounds good to me." said Mr. Yarman. "Hmph!" Mrs. Yarman apparently didn't agree.

"You don't find it acceptable Mrs. Yarman?" Mrs. Janson asked.

"No, I don't."

"Why not?"

"Why? Because she's not a human! Whose to say it affects her the same way it affects us! Her father was a _demon_ of some kind --!"

Mrs. Yarman stopped when Isis surged to her feet. Her gold eyes blazed with anger. Her voice was quiet, but deadly. "He was no demon and you know it. My father was one of the few male White Birch trees. He first came her to prove his fertility, as they all must, but he fell in love with my mother and stayed here, replacing your healer who had died halfway through winter. If he hadn't been here, you **and** your youngest would have died during childbirth, and your middle would had died from having nemonia and the flu. So I suggest you not insult him again. As for the Truth Spell, why should it affect me differently? My mother was a human."

"She's right Linda. Herald Talia, please use the second level Truth Spell." Talia nodded in response to Mr. Yarman's request and turned her attention to Isis.

Everyone but Isis could now see the blue glow surrounding her. Before anyone could say anything Isis began.

"After the third chicken turned up, I was out in the woods gathering herbs. I heard laughter. I went towards it, wondering who else was out so late at night. I came to the edge of a clearing. Four boys with gathered around a small fire.

'Did you see the looks on their faces? Priceless!' said Jimmy Janson.

'Oh yeah. Even dad looked sick.' snickered Keth Ungermire.

'This was the best idea ever.' piped in Christopher Yang.

'And this is just the beginning.' said Julian Yarman, with a cruel smile. Knowing that no one would believe me if I told them, I just left.

"Last night was the full moon. Cretus blooms only under the full moon. I went out to gather some. I heard the squawk of a chicken coming from the clearing. I went to go see what they were up to.

"They had a pattern etched out on the ground and five dead, bloodless chickens. Julian stood at the center of the pattern with his parents best rooster. It was still alive.

'Once we sacrifice the rooster at midnight, we'll go visit little Jasmine Gem.' With a twisted, cruel smile, he added, 'We'll have some _fun _together.'

"I didn't like the way he said fun. I got a bad feeling. So, I decided to ruin their spell. I crept around the edge of the clearing till my back was towards the deep woods. Then, I let loose a wolf howl. The nearby pack answered me. It scared the bejeezed out of the boys. Jimmy, Keth, and Christopher ran, but Julian hesitated, so I snarled. He ran then.

"I finished collecting my Cretus and returned to the village. Julian jumped me at the edge of the woods. I knocked him to the ground and said, 'Blood magic is dangerous. One mistake and you'll die. Painfully. The spell you were going to activate would have helped you rape Jasmine, but it would have activated again and again every full moon for the next year. Then it would start activating more frequently. Eventually, it would just stay on. Permanent hard on. Sounds nice don't it? Thing is, if you don't relieve it…you'll go mad from sex deprivation and you would be in constant pain. Till it killed you that is. I suggest doing more research next time.'

"I went back home. That's all."

The villagers were stunned.

Talia turned the Truth Spell on Jimmy, Keth, and Christopher (1st level only). All three confessed to participating, but none had known they were really doing blood magic. They also didn't know the intent of last nights spell had been to rape Jasmine.

Julian refused to say anything under first level, so Talia kicked it up to second to make him talk. He had found the blood rites in the basement, under a loose floorboard. Apparently, Julian's mind was partially warped and twisted. No one knew why, until Isis spoke.

"Julian, have you ever received or sustained a severe blow to the head?"

At first he said nothing, then he said yes. When asked to describe it, he said that earlier in the year he had been playing in the woods, climbing trees. He had fallen and hit his head on a rock. He hadn't broken anything so he never mentioned it.

Isis sighed. "He suffered a concussion. It is too old for me to heal, but the Elder Birch Trees can. I'm going to move into their grove. I'll take Julian with me. I'll teach him healing while he heals. When the concussion is gone he may return to live in the village. The grove is on the other side of the hill."

Isis looked at the Heralds for conformation. They all agreed that it was an acceptable plan. Mrs. Yarman was furious, but before she could say anything Julian spoke.

"I would like to go with Isis. Healing has always interested me. I…" He looked at the ground and blushed. Then he brought up his head and looked Isis in the eye. "I never thought we treated you fairly. I think you are really a nice person, but act cold and somewhat mean to hide how much the ridicule hurts. I…I would like to be your apprentice…and your friend." Finished, he bit his lip and looked down.

Isis stared at him. When Julian peaked up, his gaze was captured by those gold eyes. Then Isis did something she hadn't done since her father had died.

She smiled.

"Well, no time like the present. Come on. You can help me finish moving my stuff, then we'll go get yours." She walked away, Julian following along behind her.

"Well…that was quick problem solving." said Talia. She looked at Dane. "Huh? Dane! What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm happy, Talia. Isis has been alone since her father died. Now she has a friend. That was the first time she's smiled in three years."

The Heralds spent the night at the village. Before they left though, they stopped by the grove to see Isis and Julian.

"No, Julian, not that way. This way. Otherwise the bone won't stay set. Do you understand?"

"I think so. It has to do with where the pressure is applied, right?"

"Very good. That's exactly right. Now, how about we break for now? I'll start the tea while you go greet our guests." "Oh!" The door opened a few moments later. Julian invited them into the small cottage.

"Hello. Heading out?" Isis asked.

"Yes. Going to visit family." Seleny said.

Isis nodded. "There's an old widow in the next town. Tell her I said to stop by. Herald Talia, your Rolan would be interested in the creatures she keeps. Especially the black mare I suspect. You'll find them interesting too, I'm sure." Isis traveled with them to the edge of the forest.

"Feel free to stop by any time. If I can ever be of any service to you and yours, do not hesitate to call upon me. White Birch Tree groves are excellent places to make camps, but do not harm any living thing within the grove, unless it is threatening you. Death and pain upset the tree spirits.

"They will also shield you from harmful magics and are great places to seek shelter during an attack, for they will help if your ask and your intentions are good. But mind that they will ask for a favor in return. Nothing that will be hard for you to accomplish though, so never hesitate to ask for help. If they hesitate, feel free to mention me.

"Good fortune to you and yours upon your journey." With these departing words of friendship, Isis turned and proceeded to walk back to the grove were Julian waited.

******************************************************


	2. Smart is an Understatement

_**Chapter 2 - Smart is an Understatement**_

"Why? Why can't we go? Isis said she could be trusted, and I doubt she would say that if she didn't believe it. I think we should go see what these creatures are. The Companions agree with me, you know they do."

Elspeth had been presenting reasons to go see the animals that Isis had mentioned ever since Selenay said they would just continue on to their destination without stopping. Talia sighed. She was just as interested as Elspeth, but did Elspeth really have to make such a big deal out of not going to see them?

Finally Selenay relented. "Fine. We'll go see the lady Isis mentioned. We'll spend the night in the village, but this is going to be the last interruption of our journey. Is that clear?" Elspeth nodded emphatically.

Talia sighed with relief that the argument was over. Rolan pranced a little with excitement. She smiled. Rolan was very eager to meet the "black mare" Isis had mentioned. When she asked why, Rolan only sent back a feeling of confused pleasure. Talia was under the impression that Rolan didn't know why he was excited. She found it amusing.

Upon arriving in the village Selenay spoke with the village headman. He seemed amazed that the group of Heralds would want to speak with the elderly Widow Harim, but told them that she lived in the outskirts of town.

Approaching the rather dilapidated looking shack, the Heralds exchanged worried looks. Was the lady healthy? Or even alive? Dismounting, Talia walked up to the door and knocked.

"Hello? Whose there?" an elderly voice called out.

"Just a group of Heralds, ma'am. Isis Silvertree suggested that we visit you." Talia replied.

"Oh! Well, how nice of the young lady. How nice of you, as well. Please, do come in. Your Companions can go around back. Justin and Morganna will take care of them."

The Heralds hesitated. The Companions simply walked around to the back, leaving their Heralds to either go inside or stand there like dopes.

The inside of the cottage was a stark contrast to the exterior. Neat and clean, it was quiet cozy. A warm fire crackled pleasantly in the fireplace. Sitting in an armchair in front of the fire was an elderly woman. She turned her head at the sound of the door opening, but she didn't actually look at them.

"Hello. Please, come in, come in. Make yourselves comfortable. Warm yourselves by the fire."

"Thank-you, ma'am." said Dirk as they all took seats around the fire. Selenay sat in the other armchair. The others each took one of the many cushions to sit upon.

"Oh, please. Just call me Sill." she said with a smile. There was a large, black lump at her feet. Suddenly, it lifted it's head. The huge cat blink its large green eyes at them. "Oh, and this is Darkmoon. Don't worry. He's very friendly."

"We were told to come see you about some creatures that you keep. Specifically a black mare." Elspeth stated.

Sill laughed. "Yes, I can see Isis sending you to me for that reason. Well, the 'creatures' you are referring to are merely draft horses. _**Huge**_ draft horses, mind you , but still draft horses. The reason they would interest you, and the reason most of the town is terrified of me, is the fact that these horses are, well…let's just say that smart is an understatement.

"The story behind these horses is that my husband had a disease. It was causing his body to waste away and we knew that eventually he wouldn't be able to work the fields anymore. Also, due to my blindness, I could not take up the plow in his place. So we started using a combination of breeding and magic to get horses that could possibly match the Companions. We had no desire to be Heralds, but the traits of the Companions for strength, endurance, and, most importantly, intelligence, were what we wanted. We wanted these horses to be able to pretty much tend to the fields on their own.

"The black mare is my greatest success. Her name is Wind Dancer. Usually I just call her Wind. Her strength level is amazing, she is extremely intelligent, and she can go for hours.

"I think the reason that Isis mentioned Wind to you is probably because I mentioned to her how I would like to send her to the Heralds in the capital. However, I dare not send her alone, and I am too old for such ventures. I don't know how much Isis told you, but I believe that if Wind bred with a Companion, you could probably get an amazing result. Obviously, you don't have to.

"I would, however, greatly appreciate it if you took her with you. She loves to learn and I can only teach her what I remember. I cannot teach her to read, as I never learned how myself. The stories of the Heralds and their Companions was also something she never tired of. I believe that she could be of use to you.

"So the question is put before you. Will you take Wind with you?"

The group of Heralds looked at each other. They didn't really know what to make of the story. Intelligent horses? That weren't Companions? It sounded unrealistic.

Sill chuckled. "Obviously, you don't have to decide right this instant. Darkmoon, why don't you show our guests out to the barn, so that they can meet the horses, eh?" The cat grunted. "Thanks, deary. I'll make some tea."

The cat rose and they realized that it was much bigger than they had first believed it was. It's shoulder reached Talia's waist. Sill got up and made her way over to the kitchen. Darkmoon indicated that the Heralds were to follow him.

Following the cat out the back door they came to the rather huge barn. The Companions were gathered at the edge of the field, watching as a single horse dragged a massive plow behind it, tilling the fields. Their Heralds joined them, waiting for the horse to finish the last few rows.

Once it was finished, the horse backed up. This caused the massive blade to rear. The horse reached back with its hind leg and, hooking something, swung a cover down from the side and kicked it onto the blade itself. With the cover on, the blade was prevented from digging up the lawn as the horse dragged it back over to the barn.

It shook its head as it approached, attempting to get the sweaty forelock out of its eyes. Noticing them it stopped. _Oh! Hello. Can I help you?_ The voice was broadcast to the entire group.

Before any of them reacted Darkmoon barked and then coughed. The horses head came up and its ears swiveled forward. _Heralds? Really? _The horse pranced a little and tossed its head. _Oh goodie! Um, please do come in the barn out of the heat. I just need to put the plow away. Mom and Dad are inside and can help you get comfortable. Sill will probably be out shortly._ The horse turned and continued on towards a shed a little ways away. The Heralds and Companions followed Darkmoon into the barn.

Okay, so barn wasn't really the right word. More like a giant living room with accessories designed to be used and abused by really large animals. Laying on a cushion, reading a paper was a large palomino colored horse, with a white mane and tail. It turned to look at them as they walked in. Blinking large blue eyes it announced two words. _Guests, Justin._

From behind a wall, the head of another horse appeared. Buckskin is color, it had a black mane and tail as well as a black stripe running down its spine. Focusing brown eyes on them, it said, _Guests. Good. Bath ready for Wind. Sill come out soon, yes?_

The first horse, who by default had to be Morganna, said _Yes. Sill bring tea soon. Wind done plowing soon, too. Please. Come in. Sit._

Darkmoon walked over to Morganna and butted his head up against hers. Morganna snorted. _Hello Darkmoon._ Darkmoon climbed onto one of the much abused cushions and laid down.

The Heralds all found seats on the many cushions, as did the Companions. At first none of them knew what to say. Talia broke the silence.

"It's nice to meet you, Justin, Morganna. My name is Talia. I am the Queen's Own Herald." She proceeded to introduce everyone to the two horses. Each nodded as they were introduced. The two horses paid acute attention, their ears pointed forward.

_It is very nice to meet you all._ Wind said as she emerged from behind the wall were they had first seen Justin. They all jumped. No one had seen her go by. Her mane and tail were rather wet and water beaded on her coat. She walked past them all to a cloth covered wall behind them. Rubbing up against it she dried off her sides, mane and tail. She then walked over to a switch and stomped on it. Two cloth covered rollers came out of the wall. One stood above her back and the other stood just beneath her chest. She stepped sideways so she was in between them. By rocking back and forth, she caused friction with the cloth, drying her back and stomach. Finally she picked up a towel with her teeth and dried off her chest by tucking her head in and rubbing the cloth over it.

Finished drying off, Wind came over to join her parents and their guests. As she laid down on a cushion they all heard Sill.

"Darkmoon? Can you come carry the tray, dear?" Darkmoon barked (?) and trotted out of the barn.

Wind looked at the visiting Heralds. _What brings you here?_ She asked.

Elspeth answered her. "We actually just came from the neighboring town. We met Isis Silvertree there and she suggested that we come visit you."

Wind's ear pricked up at Isis' name. _Isis? How is she? She has not visited recently._

"Isis was doing well when we left. She has an apprentice for healing now and moved into a grove of White Birch Trees, so villagers don't feel so disturbed by her presence." Selenay told Wind.

Sill walked in with Darkmoon then. Darkmoon had the tray gripped just so in his mouth. He set it down on the short square table that resided in the midst of the cushions. Sill and Darkmoon shared a cushion. "Please help yourselves." Sill said.

_I do not understand why the villagers are disturbed by Isis. She is very kind once you get to know her. She certainly doesn't deserve the villagers cruel treatment._ Wind had partially laid her ears back. The Heralds nodded in agreement.

"You are right Wind, she does not deserve their harsh treatment. However, her father was not human and that causes the villagers to feel uneasy. They do know that they cannot afford to get rid of her because she is all they have for a healer. I don't think Isis really wants to be there either, but she won't abandon the villagers." Talia said.

All three horses nodded. _Remember Edith. Good person. Remember Santor_ (SAN - tour)_. Good … tree? Person? Not sure. Sure Santor good._ Justin was confused about what to call Santor Silvertree. Morganna snorted in agreement.

Wind tilted her head to the side. _I did not meet Mr. or Mrs. Silvertree. I have heard a lot about them though. They were both very kind and very generous. As I understand it, by staying with Edith, Santor was breaking the laws of the trees. For this reason he was cast out and shunned. Before he died though, he brought his daughter to the trees and begged them to accept her. She was not a pure White Birch Tree spirit, but her body functioned more like the tree than the human. When he was gone, if the trees did not accept her, she would have no guidance and be forever alone. The Elder Birch Trees agreed to accept Isis, and Santor was able to die in peace._

The Heralds found this interesting. It was getting late and they would have an early start tomorrow to make up for the lost time today. Darkmoon helped Sill back to the house and Justin shut the barn doors behind them. Morganna kicked up the fire and Wind pulled out some blankets and futons that the Heralds could sleep on.

The following morning, Sill gave the Heralds a sack of food for the road. They thanked her. Wind then spoke up. _Where are you headed?_

"We are headed north, to visit family." Elspeth said.

Wind's ears swiviled back and forth, thinking. _Keisha and her mate came through this morning. They are eagles. They were returning from a hunting trip. Keisha said that the snows had started early. Will you be able to get through the high snow drifts?_

The Heralds looked at each other. They hadn't expected the snows so soon so they hadn't planned on having to get through snow drifts. Rolan was the largest, but the Companion couldn't possibly shove all the snow aside. He was strong and had excellent endurance, but the Companions body build was not designed for jobs like that.

_I could come with you, if you like._ The Heralds looked at Wind. She ducked her head. _I can keep up and find food for myself. I don't need anyone to groom me and I can push through the snow for you._ She shuffled her forefeet, nervous and desperately wanting to go. Even if she ended up returning here on their way back to the capital, she could still learn during the time she could spend with them. _I'll try not to be a bother to anyone._

Rolan nudged Talia's shoulder. He thought bringing her along was a good idea. Elspeth grinned at the slightly annoyed look that crossed her mothers face. Dirk laughed out loud. Talia looked at the queen. After a moment, Selenay nodded. Talia smiled.

"We would love to have you come with us, Wind Dancer."


	3. Goodbye

_**Chapter 3 - Goodbye**_

"Julian! Jasmine's here!" Julian rolled his eyes. He couldn't stand Jasmine. She was a complete airhead. He wished their mothers would stop trying to push them together.

Why where they trying to push them together, anyway? One would think that, after what happened two years ago, they wouldn't want Julian anywhere near Jasmine. Honestly, he could no longer remember why he had targeted Jasmine in the first place. Did he do because he had thought she was cute? Popular opinion said that Jasmine was the most beautiful girl in the village. He might have agreed two years ago, but he couldn't anymore.

The other villagers found it disturbing that although Isis was his age - 16 - she looked like a ten year old. Two years ago, Julian had only been couple inches taller. He had hit a growth spurt and she had stayed the same. She only reached his elbow. The traits that put the other villagers off, he found endearing. Her silver hair was like starlight and her golden eyes were mesmerizing. Those beautiful eyes haunted his dreams.

It was her intelligence that had originally attracted his attention, back before her father died. She was so smart, she made the rest of the villagers seem like slack-jawed idiots by comparison. Jasmine had no hope of capturing his attention. He was so glad he had Isis.

Speaking of which…where was she? It had been two days since he had last seen her. Maybe he should go to her hut, see if she was okay.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Someone was watching him. He spun around to look out the window. No one was there, but there was a piece of paper stuck in the frame. It hadn't been there a few moments ago.

Cautiously, he eased the window open and pulled the paper out of the frame and into his room. It was a letter addressed to him. A chill ran down his spine and made him hesitant to open it.

"Julian!" His mother yelled up the stairs. He ignored her and opened the letter with shaking hands.

Dear Julian,

I am sorry that I haven't come to see you, but I don't know how the villagers will react and I don't want them to think you had something to do with it. I've taught you everything I know about healing. You'll make an excellent healer. I want you to know that I'm proud of you. I'm so lucky and thankful that you are my friend. I've restocked everything in the hut. It's yours now. I hope we will meet again someday. Goodbye, Julian.

Isis

No. It-it was a joke, right? Right? She-she wouldn't just leave, right? But he knew it wasn't a joke. Dispite his best efforts to prove that she was a good person, the villagers still treated her like vermin.

Julian knew she wanted to get away from the hostile environment. She had told him that once his training was finished she would leave. He just hadn't thought it would be so sudden.

But she couldn't just leave him! He needed her! Dropping the letter, he bolted from his room. He rushed past his mother, on the way up the stairs to get him. He flew by Jasmine without so much as a thought. He shot through the door and raced towards the Elder White Birch clearing. The villagers stared in shock as he ran by, but he ignored them.

Maybe he could convince her to stay. Maybe she would take him with her. Maybe-. Maybe-. He stumbled as he ran, his heart pounding wildly, but he kept going. Please. Please still be there. Please!

He burst into the grove and froze. The hut was there. Everything looked fine. But it was too quiet. The leaves didn't rustle in their usual greeting. No sounds of movement came through the windows. He slowly approached the hut, the deathly silence eating away at his nerves. He pushed the door open.

Ares, the small black and red dragon that was her familiar, was not curled up on the hearth. There was no fire in the fireplace. There was no evidence that Isis had ever lived here. It looked like any empty healers hut. Julian dropped to his knees in the doorway as tears rolled down his face. He never got to say goodbye.

After a few moments, he got to his feet and stumbled into the back room. Her bedroom. She had left sheets, a quilt and a pillow on the bed. There was also a fuzzy white lump. At first he couldn't tell what it was. As he approached, it moved. Julian froze.

A head lifted out of the fuzz. Two ice blue eyes stared at him from the pure white face of the wolf pup. His ears were tipped in black. The pups tail started to thump the bed, and Julian realized that it too was tipped in black.

Where had the pup come from? The pup stood up on the bed as Julian moved closer. Julian noticed that the pup had been laying on a piece of paper. He offered the pup his hand to sniff as he picked up the paper to see what it was. It was a note…from Isis.

Hi Julian.

I thought you might rush down here. I am sorry to leave you like this. I hope that one day, you can forgive me. The local wolf pack has been under threat from the villagers, so they are coming with me. This little one is not old enough to make such a journey. I thought you might like him, as you once expressed an interest in the wolves. His name is Kaizma. (K-z-ma) Do you like the quilt? I hope you do. I made it. You are amazing, Julian. Thank-you so much for being my friend when no one else would. If you hadn't been…I don't know how I would have made it. Good fortune upon you and yours.

Isis.

His chest tightened and his eyes burned with tears. She had made the quilt? It was beautiful. He looked at Kaizma. The pup licked his hand, then his face and wagged his tail. Julian smiled and scratched him behind the ears. Petting Kaizma, Julian made a decision. He wouldn't disappoint Isis. He would stay and be the village's healer. However…he wouldn't stay in his mothers house.

He stepped back and slapped his leg. "Come on, Kaizma. Lets go get my stuff. I'm moving back in." Kaizma yipped his approval.


End file.
